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The frontman of Bob Vylan has expressed he is "not regretful" about his "anti-IDF chant" performance at Glastonbury and asserted he would "repeat it tomorrow, twice on Sundays."

Disputed Exclamation and Official Reactions

This outspoken punk pair sparked widespread debate when they initiated audience chants of "down with the IDF," referring to the IDF, during their June set. This slogan was condemned by festival organizers and Britain's leader Keir Starmer, who labeled it as "appalling hate speech."

Following the incident, Bob Vylan was released by its agency United Talent Agency, and the American state department cancelled the members' travel documents, forcing them to call off a scheduled North American concert series.

Interview with the Podcaster

In his first interview since the Glastonbury show, the musician, using his real name is Pascal Robinson-Foster, conversed on a popular podcast. After questioned if he would repeat his actions, he responded:

"Oh yeah. For instance what if I was to go on the festival again tomorrow, yes I would repeat it. I'm without regret of it. I'd say it again tomorrow, twice on Sundays."

The artist noted that the backlash the band encountered was "minimal compared to what people in Palestine are experiencing."

Regarding the Protest's Importance

"I don't want to overstate the significance of the slogan," he elaborated. "That's not what I'm trying to do, but since I have the Palestinian people's support, they're the individuals that I'm advocating for, these are the individuals that I'm being vocal for, then what is there to regret? Oh, because I've angered some conservative official or some rightwing media?"

Surprising Reaction and BBC Comments

The artist claimed he was taken aback by the outcry sparked by the chant, and stated that members of BBC employees at Glastonbury told him on the day that the performance was "excellent."

However, the corporation's executive complaints unit subsequently found that the BBC's airing of the performance violated editorial standards in regard to harm and offence.

Vylan told the host there was no indication of a dispute in the immediate aftermath: "It wasn't like we left stage, and everybody was like [gasps]. It's just normal. We come off stage. It was normal. No one thought anything. Not a soul. Including staff at the broadcaster were like 'It was fantastic! We loved that!'"

Reply to Damon Albarn

The musician also hit back at the Blur singer, who labeled the chant "one of the most spectacular misfires I've seen in my life" and described Vylan as "goose-stepping in sport gear."

Albarn's reaction was "letdown" and "lacked self-awareness," he remarked.

"I need to say that categorising it as a 'spectacular misfire' suggests that in some way the politics of the duo or our stance on Palestinian liberation is not thought out," he explained.

"I strongly object with the phrase 'goose-stepping' being used because it's only used around the Nazis," he continued. "That's it. And for him to use that wording, I think is offensive. I think his answer was appalling."

Intent Behind the Chant

When questioned what he meant by the chant "Death to the IDF," the artist said the slogan itself was "unimportant."

"The key issue is the conditions that exist to allow that chant to even occur on that platform. And I mean, the circumstances that exist in the region. In which the local population are being slain at an alarming rate. What matters about the slogan?" he stated.

"Death to the IDF rhymes," he added: "'End, End the IDF does not rhyme, wouldn't have spread, right? … We are there to entertain. We are there to play music. I am a lyricist. 'The chant' rhymes. Perfect chant."

Rejection of Hate Speech Claims

Vylan also rejected assertions from the CST, a watchdog and Jewish safety organisation, that their performance led to a spike in anti-Jewish events recorded two days.

"I believe I have created an unsafe environment for the Jewish community. Suppose there were large numbers of individuals acting and saying 'We made me do this'. I could go, oh, I've had a negative effect here," he said.

Comparison with Other Bands

As Vylan said he thought the band had been criticised more heavily than others for voicing views about the situation, Theroux referenced the Irish group another band, who have likewise encountered criticism for their approach to pro-Palestine advocacy.

"That's a notable point," he said, "since as with everything race becomes a factor in that we are an easier target, no pun intended, than others are because we are inherently the opponent."